Kwara court jails two, fines company over illegal mining

By Ahmed Olayinka

The Federal High Court in Ilorin has convicted and sentenced two individuals while imposing a fine on a company for engaging in illegal mining activities in Kwara State, in violation of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.

The convictions were secured by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), according to a statement issued by the anti-graft agency on Thursday.

The convicted persons, Samuel Sunday and Saheed Lawal Akanji, alongside Saaskrona Nigeria Limited, were arraigned before Justice Abimbola Awogboro on separate charges of unlawfully processing and trading in solid minerals without the required licences.

The EFCC said the prosecution followed credible intelligence that some individuals were illegally processing and dealing in solid minerals in parts of Kwara State without the licences prescribed by law.

Acting on the intelligence, EFCC operatives conducted surveillance operations, leading to the arrest of the suspects at separate locations in Eiyenkorin, Ilorin. Sunday was apprehended at his factory in the Olorunda area near the Deeper Life Camp, while Akanji was arrested at his factory opposite Ojaja University along Passa Road.

Investigations revealed that the defendants were involved in the illegal processing and trading of solid minerals, including Smithsonite, Calcite, Anhydrite, Tennantite and Quartz, contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.

The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when they were brought before the court.

Following their guilty pleas, EFCC counsel, Rashidat Alao, presented the facts of the cases and tendered documentary evidence, including the minerals recovered during the investigation, which were admitted by the court.

In his judgment, Justice Awogboro sentenced Samuel Sunday to 12 months’ imprisonment with an option of a N2 million fine. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the 140 tonnes of mineral ore recovered from his site to the Federal Government.

Saheed Lawal Akanji was also sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment with an option of a N1 million fine, while Saaskrona Nigeria Limited was fined N1 million.

The court further ordered the forfeiture of the 90 tonnes of minerals recovered from the company’s site to the Federal Government.